Nov 03, 2024  
2011-2012 Catalog 
    
2011-2012 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Liberal Arts – Environmental Studies Option, Associate of Arts


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Environmental Studies, an option of the Associate of Arts degree program, is an interdisciplinary major offered by the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, in cooperation with the Department of Science and Engineering, and other Departments at RVCC with environmental interests and applications. This option prepares students for transfer into either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree programs in Environmental Studies and related fields, which leads to a wide range of career opportunities in environmental policy and law, journalism, activism, business and education.

Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary major designed to teach students to examine environmental issues from a broad range of perspectives and analytical methods. Approximately half of the coursework will consist of classes in the biological and physical sciences, to learn about the basic patterns and processes that govern the natural world, and the effects of human actions on it. The other half of classes will consist of courses in the humanities and social sciences (e.g., sociology, anthropology, philosophy, history, economics) in order to better understand the complexities of these human dimensions of contemporary environmental issues. With this broad range of tools and perspectives, students will learn to analyze the human and other causes of modern environmental problems, as well as to devise strategies and solutions to address them. Students will also be encouraged to focus on a particular subject area of his or her interest (e.g., social sciences, humanities, communications and languages, education, fine arts, economics, etc.).

Graduates are able to:

  • demonstrate awareness of local and global environmental problems and efforts taken to address them
  • apply concepts and skills learned in the sciences, liberal arts, and other fields of study to real-world environmental issues
  • demonstrate skills in literature research, debate and discussion, oral presentation and scientific techniques and methodologies
  • demonstrate awareness of specialization, career and employment opportunities in the field of environmental studies

Curriculum – A.A. Degree


First Semester


Second Semester


Third Semester


Fourth Semester


Total Credits 63 - 65


1 Select a course from the appropriate category of the General Education  list.

2 Choose two of the following History courses: World Civilization I (HIST 101 ), World Civilization II (HIST 102 ), U.S. History:Beginnings to 1877 (HIST 201 ), U.S. History: 1877 to Present (HIST 202 ).

3 Mathematics by official placement test. Students must be proficient through Precalculus I (MATH 112 ). If students are proficient above Precalculus I, it is recommended they take Statistics I (MATH 110 ).

4 Select one of the following courses: Geographic Information Systems (ENVI 202 ), Organic Agriculture (ENVI 203 ), Field Botany (BIOL 232 ), Introduction to Geology (GEOL 157  ), Plants, Humans and the Environment (BIOL 150 ),
Field Ornithology (BIOL 149  ).

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